Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-06-25
a4AND woRKu IN SWEDEN.
How the Use of Implements Is Taught in
 the Scandinavian Peninsula.


 the Scandinavian Peninsula.
 Slojd, or hand work, is the art of using ordinary implements-such as knife, saw, @ hammer or Q paint brush. Mir. Squeers seems to have had some shadowy notion of this system. Clean, clean; w-i-n-d-e-r, window; now go and clean it. said that practical person. Sloid teaching is to technical instruction what liberal ed ucation is to professional training It is valued, not only as the first step toward learning trade, but also as training for the faculties. Appreciation of form, proper value of time and method. neat ness of manipulation and habits of indus try and self reliance are some of the bless ings with which it is credited. Enthusi- asts, moreover, hope that by including manual work among ordinary school sub jects bodily labor may ill time be raised from the low esteem where it too often lies.
 Slojd was invented by one Uno Cyg- n8us, a Fin, who, after qualifying in sev- eral handicrafts, became schoolmaSter and was commissioned to draw up re- port, on which the Finnish system of gov ernment schools is based. In Sweden his system was copied some fifteen years ago, and it has there spread so rapidly that in
 
 part of the regular course. Those who view hand work merely as a training for the faculties confine their teaching to simple work in wood. But those who value it also as subsidiary to technical in struction teach slojd in many branches and carry it beyond the use of the sim plest tools. Bookbinding, tinkering, smiths work, painting, basket making shoemal1ing and tailoring are among their subjects, and they spare no efforts to make the system attractive to pupils and parents. At some schools pupils are al- lowed to keep what they have made, or to buy it cheaply; or, to seclre continuous attendance, they are credited with deferred pay, which they forfeit by leaving before stipulated course has been completed. On completion of the course the pupil is presented with bank book representing his accumulated earnings and receives a parting counsel to incrt ase them.
 The parents sympathy is also angled for. At school in laboring district it is rule that pupils shall be taught to make and use such common implements as are most servicCable to working people --rakes, spades, ax handles and the like. Assiduous young tinkers, tailors and shoe makers are allowed the use of school i'm plements to msRe the family repairs, and thus exists in Sweden the phenomenon oi self repairing boy, who mends his Own 1 raiment and cob bles his own shoes In Sweden, in Norway and in Fin. land the system has proved most success l ful. There seeIus no reason why it should not be introduced and become equally successful here The taste among non 1aboring classes for using implements is universal. Too often, however, the hands that guide the implements art rather zealous than skillful. But i schools taught slojd, these manual short | comings would be remedied. The too | chest, now Pandora's box of evil, bring ing terror to paternal bosoms and impre cations on the donor, would become blessing. Instead of amputating chai legs or si ndding the furniture with til tacks, it's Skilled possessor would do tn fanlily's tld jobs. The penknife found il the pocke t of every schoolboy but Macau lays wol lld whittlc and carve, under du 1 supervis ion, to the advantage of the fit tings snd it's owners fingers. Adult would sease to slice their faces in vain ct tenpts to shave themselves; and to tn adept in slojd, the opening of meat til or sardine box would not mean lockjaw. l to the use of ordinary tools some crafts lk bookbinding were added, brain worker f would grow up with a recreatiye hobb, ] ready made. Even course of darnin and bIittei.seSr not s,I1at l to youths intended for professions, where 1 according to the registrar generals rc turns, they will be condemned to bachlel hood till 30.-London Saturday Review.